Peter Obi | File Photo
‘I relayed to them my experience in 2001, while taking an Executive Management Course at Kellogg School of Management, a personal encounter I had with Prof Donald Jacobs, the School Dean, which eventually motivated me to join politics back home in Nigeria, to help build a better nation for all’
By Valentine Amanze
Labour Party (LP) Presidential candidate in the February 25, 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has urged blacks to deploy their abundant natural resources and talents to shade off the slave trade effect.
Obi, who gave the advice in England at the weekend as a guest at the celebration of Black History Month by the black community in Oxford University, said that the time was rife for Africa and the black community to engage in productive activities, good governance, and purposeful leadership.
Obi, who shared ideas with the black community, reminded them that life, irrespective of colour, race, or tribe, should be about building a better society and making humanity better, stressing that such motivated him to enter politics.
He disclosed that he joined politics, leaving his lucrative business, to serve the public not minding the huge loss available.
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His words: “I relayed to them my experience in 2001, while taking an Executive Management Course at Kellogg School of Management, a personal encounter I had with Prof Donald Jacobs, the School Dean, which eventually motivated me to join politics back home in Nigeria, to help build a better nation for all.
“Looking back in time, not minding the bold challenges I have faced, I am grateful for all I have accomplished, especially the positive changes I have engendered in the nation.
Especially in the areas of health, education, and pulling people out of poverty.”
He reminded them that Africa needs to invest heavily in Education and utilize its energetic youth populations.
“Africa should not be attending the summit asking for concessions, pointing out that the era of tokenism for Africa has passed.
“Africa with a landmass of 30.3 million km² and a population of over 1.4 billion people, continues to fall short, economically, far below Europe, with a landmass of 10.18 million km² and a population of about 746 million.
“Africa will rise and enjoy development and progress,” he said.
He pointed out that the three biggest economies in Europe, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France with a population of about 216m have a GDP almost 25 times the GDP of Nigeria with an almost similar population.
Germany, he said, has $4.4 trillion with a land mass of 349, 223km, plus a population of about 84m and France has a GDP of $3.049. and 551695km land mass, plus a population of about 54m the UK has a GDP of $3.3.., and a land mass of 243,610km with a population of about 67m while Nigeria has a land mass of 923 769km and a GDP of $489.80 billion.
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